How shall I grow sweetcorn?

[Leeds_lad]

So a plant only gives one cob?

[binley100]

Pretty much..........if you're lucky you maybe get a second smaller one.
I start mine off in loo rolls to minimise root disturbance when planting them out .....am trying prelude this year......

[Beetroot Bob]

Oh dear, Lark were awful for me and RustyLady the year before (2009). Very little germination: perhaps a dodgy couple of packs

I've had fantastic results with Lark the last 2 years :-)

2 sometimes 3 good size cobs per plant and really fantastic taste.

[robfosters]

Has anyone tried the F1 sundance variety?

[Kristen]

I've grown F1 Swift successfully for the last 3 years. Never had much in the way of a second cob though. Very short plants, and crop very quickly (haven't got my diary to hand, I'll find it in a mo ...)

Mine only need 3 weeks from sowing to planting out, as the plants are getting too big to linger in their (newspaper) pots by then, so I'm still several weeks away from sowing for outdoors (I grow three batches in the greenhouse for an early crop)

[Two_Sheds]

planting in a block isn't strictly necessary ...Have a look into shoot bagging.

I just did! shoot bagging sweetcorn

I have to say, it's not an easy or quick option - if you're only growing a few plants, it must surely be easier to just tap the plants now & again to shake the pollen down to the female parts? Not necessarily 100% success rate, but a darn site easier than stapling little bags all over your plants

[BigShot]

I just did! shoot bagging sweetcorn

I have to say, it's not an easy or quick option - if you're only growing a few plants, it must surely be easier to just tap the plants now & again to shake the pollen down to the female parts? Not necessarily 100% success rate, but a darn site easier than stapling little bags all over your plants

There's a video showing the procedure online somewhere (unfortunately I've not been able to find it yet) and it looks much quicker and easier than written instructions make it seem.

I'll post a link when I find it.

[SawPaw]

I had quite a good success with my sweetcorn last year but I cannot recall the variety. This year I am going for something completely different and trying blue sweetcorn. (Hope it taste nice).

[francesbean]

Just wondering if there is any benefit in removing the smaller cob that often grows to give the larger one mmore of a chance - anyone done this?

francesbean

[realfood]

I grow sweetcorn in Glasgow successfully in Glasgow each year, with very few problems. Choose a quick maturing variety, avoid planting two different types of sweetcorn close together, do not plant out before the last frost, keep well watered and fed. You should get about 2 cobs per plant for the modern varieties. Had some of mine from the freezer tonight for dinner.
Follow the advice given here and you should succeed : sweet_corn

[BigShot]

On the subject of close planting of different varieties... why exactly is that?

I know it's important to maintain purity if you're saving seed, but for eating does it make a difference?
I've been told that having a different variety's pollen in there can lead to odd coloured kernels or badly filled cobs, but others have told me that's nonsense.

[Kristen]

On the subject of close planting of different varieties... why exactly is that?

Unlike most things its the seeds you are eating, and in the case of the Tendersweet etc. varieties of Sweetcorn the genetic make-up is key to the sweetness, so cross-pollination will give you hard kernels, and all sorts, mixed in the same cob. Hence you need to plant only one type (or stagger plantings so that pollination of different varieties is at different times).

Someone on another forum did a test, planted different varieties (including one test with two varieties that supposedly were "safe to plant near other Tendersweet varieties) and they were all a mess, to say the least.

Team up with your neighbours to bulk-buy the same variety

[JamesM]

I'm doing sweetcorn this year- i do really enjoy it but as someone else mentioned lack of space means i'm effetcively oing a 2x2 block. I remember reading that sweetcorn doesn't have a very extensive root system, does anyone have a recommnedation of a minimum pot size as i ='m hoping i might be able to russle up some more pots from the shed?

[cptncrackoff]

I have never actually grown sweetcorn myself but i'm sure I heard Bob Flowerdew on GQT(at 27 years of age proving your never too young to listen to radio 4...I also like the archers but dont tell anyone....OFF TOPIC )a couple of weeks ago, in short I think he said dont worry too much about planting neatly, just keep them fairly dry and manually pollinate to ensure a good crop.
Not sure if thats any help.
jon

[JamesM]

will try- it's all in the name of fun anyway!